Cristie's Story

When I found out I was pregnant, my heart sank, my head spun and then it went blank. I didn’t know what to do. I just had a baby a month before.

When my boyfriend got home from work, I told him I was pregnant. His face got white and he fell to his knees. We both cried. Eventually he asked me to get an abortion. My great-grandmother had just died – life seems so fragile, I couldn’t get an abortion. I decided I would place my daughter for adoption.

With the hope of finding the perfect adoption agency, I started making phone calls. The first three wanted the father’s permission to give up his parental rights. My next call was to Graceful Adoptions. They took the time to get to know me; my name, my age, where I lived, if I was still with the father, if this we my first child, how far along I was… When I hung up, I knew they were a good fit for me.

Graceful Adoptions helped and supported me all along the way. They listened to me and gave me a perfect answer every time. I was really surprised (and excited) that someone cared about me and wanted to help me take care of the baby. They even made sure that I had insurance to cover all the medical expenses. They were as committed to me as I was to them.

When the time came, my family and I picked out an adoptive family that we liked. Unfortunately, this family wanted the father involved too. This wasn’t going to happen, we had since broken up and he didn’t want anything to do with me or the child. We received more profiles and looked again. Leafing through the new profiles, one awesome picture stood out. Once I read that profile my heart and my mind told me…this is THE ONE.

I selected a single woman; she’s a doctor, loves to go to church, loves children, enjoys sports, and has a big family. When I talked to her on the phone, the first thing I noticed was her sweet Southern accent, how much care she had for me, and the truth in her voice. When it came time to meet her, I was so nervous! Although I didn’t think it was possible, I liked her more in person. In fact, I liked everything about her. I still feel that way. Even today, I know that she cares about me and is a wonderful mother to my daughter. I hear from her often; she sends cards, pictures and letters, so I get to watch my daughter grow and flourish. My daughter is growing-up with the family that I picked for her!

Cristie E.
Battle Creek, MI